The Drabbles
by Black Silken Rose
Summary: A series of Yu Yu Hakusho drabbles, yaoi. Individual ratings apply.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I'm in the midst of the final examination period, meaning that I won't be able to get much up here for a couple of weeks. So, of course, I figured that it was about time I began a running drabble collection (can you believe I've never written one before?). I do not plan on sticking to the conventions of drabbles very explicitly, and I don't know if I'm going to make them all HK or other pairings: but if you want to see something don't be afraid to ask (leave me a theme or prompt if you want too!)

Disclaimer: YYH is not mine. I'm much too young for that.

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He knew Hiei was truly exhausted when he climbed into bed, fully clothed but for his cloak and boots, and curled up at his side. On nights like these, nights where comfort rather than rain fueled his decision to tap on the glass that separated them, Kurama knew that Hiei would swallow his pride in favor of warmth. On nights like these, the stoic swordsman would not only allow a gentle hand to run through his hair, but lean into it. And on mornings that followed, the smaller youkai would fight against consciousness, grasping for he who held him near.


	2. Chapter 2

Yusuke really didn't know what they got up to in their free time. What he _did_ know was of the subtly shared looks, the seamless fighting, the room assignments, and the quiet teasings. He knew of a friendship that had somehow blossomed outside of the reikai tantei, that there were secrets shared between the two of them that he could only ever imagine. He knew that if there was anyone Hiei considered an ally, it was Kurama, and that if Kurama truly saw anyone as an equal, it was Hiei. And if that wasn't partnership, he didn't know what was.


	3. Chapter 3

He used to enjoy being covered in blood because it meant that he was alive. Now, being drenched in red drew the other's eyes to him, surveying, seeking out injury. It's not that he liked to be checked on, to have soft hands run over his skin looking for signs of pain, the same hands that had ended the lives of so many others, to be exceptional in that respect. It was simply because when red hit him so did green, and it was a sign that he'd become someone important in the fox's life that he was worried over.


	4. Chapter 4

Sometimes, he wondered if Hiei would ever fall in love. What kind of a person would he need to tame that fire, to cool such long lived hate? Would it soften him, or would it only make him stronger? What would it take for the years of hurt and loneliness to fall away, for him to open himself to another's love? His heart would grow cold at the thought, pushing it away. Whatever the case, whoever the lover, it was not his place to think such things. What the fox didn't know was that Hiei had fallen long, long ago.


	5. Chapter 5

Hiei frowned at the command, looking over at the redhead with an irritated clenching of his teeth. There was no doubt in his mind that he could kill Kurama if he wanted, that he could overpower him, outrun him, outlast him. That wasn't the problem. He debated, weighing the sword in his hand, flicking his vision from the fox to the voice that urged him on. With a sigh, he moved, red pooling on the ground around his feet. The fox raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smirk on his face.

"I didn't really like taking orders anyway."


	6. Chapter 6

It wasn't that they were kissing. That didn't shock the detective, not really. It was the air around them, the way that it happened. It was Kurama sitting, staring out at something in the distance while Hiei stood by, gazing at him like he was one of the world's greatest treasures. It was the gentleness with which the small youkai bent down, eyes heavy, to press his lips against the other's. It was the innocence that took Yusuke by surprise, the look on Hiei's face as he pulled back slowly, shakily. Turning away, Yusuke wondered how he hadn't seen it before.


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you like about me?"

He asked, on an innocuous sort of day on a warmish afternoon. The fox stared at him for a moment before his face took to consideration, angling with a ponderous tilt. He didn't return the gaze, and the kitsune knew that insecurity hid in red.

"Your honesty, and your dishonesty. I like your fire and your discipline, your passion and aloofness. But mostly, I suppose, I like watching what makes you feel."

And with a whisper barely heard, in response to the small, acknowledging noise Hiei had made,

"I like that you are mine."


	8. Chapter 8

It was no mystery that the detective felt _something_ for the fox. Who wouldn't, in similar circumstances? Hell, he'd even snuck a lustful glance or two at the fire demon on occasion, but Hiei had shrugged it off, knowing that the imminence of death and the smell of power in the air was affecting the boy more than he would be willing to admit. But Kurama was different. The way Yusuke sometimes looked at Kurama held a certain warmth, a predilection with which he did not look at Hiei. And Hiei should know; he looked at Kurama like that himself.


	9. Chapter 9

So, I'm thinking about doing prompts for these- but I don't have any specific ideas. Thoughts?

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**Crossover **(non-yaoi)

He stared at the child, whose arms were covered up to his elbows in blood, the intruder lying dead at his feet. His eyes were ice, sharp and deadly, examining the fire demon, assessing whether or not he was an enemy. Hiei slowly let his fingers slip from the hilt of his sword, which he had reached for instinctually, and took a step forward. The white haired boy's eyes narrowed, clearly expecting to have to launch another assault. It was painfully familiar.

"What's your name, child?" Remembering a familiar curiosity in the voice, like his first friend, he answered.

"Killua."

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Thinking about starting a HunterXHunter fic. I just love these deadly boys, but it would be a brand new endeavor for me! So... requests?

Thanks again to my loyal reviewer - you're the best! People, follow her wonderful example and leave me reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

One of his favorite things was when Hiei pouted. Not that he liked pushing his buttons (he did), but when the fire demon openly sulked over something Kurama did he knew that it was love. A different kind of love from when their bodies connected: this was a love that came from a likeness in mind. Kurama beamed when Hiei pouted because it meant that his words were important, it meant that his teasing was taken to heart. But mostly, Kurama smiled because he knew that Hiei pouted only in front of him, knowing that he would be spoiled afterward.

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So, as I said somewhere else, I'm in the middle of my examination period so updates may be slow to come in the next week or so (but who knows, these drabbles are great stress relief).

Don't let that stop you from leaving a nice review on here (nudge nudge wink wink), and pop over to see some of my other stories!


	11. Chapter 11

For Hiei, making love was similar to drowning. Like warm water, Kurama surrounded him, invaded him. He worked his ways into his lungs, into every crack and crevice of his body, until it burned. He was all Hiei could grab for as he flailed, the arms he fell into, the words he cried as he was enveloped. Completion was like coming up for air, the gasping finish as he surfaced, regaining a small part of himself. It didn't last for long; like an endless sea, Kurama was always there, always seeking his embrace. In Kurama, drowning didn't seem so bad.


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey, Hiei."

The fire demon in question turned his head only to find a tongue pushing into his mouth, fingers grasping his chin as he tried to pull away. He was in the middle of deciding whether or not to bite when he peeked an eye open, expecting to be met with cocky victory.

In actuality, the detective's face was dusted with a flush, deceptively long eyelashes lining his heavy lids. Hiei was taken aback by the seriousness with which he kissed, and with their closeness he could hear his human heart racing loudly. With a sigh, he kissed back.

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Couldn't resist.

**To the reviewer who left me a request:** First, thank you so much! I've never tackled a multichapter Hiei/Yusuke, so challenge accepted! I'd love to talk about what you want to see in this fic, so shoot me a pm on here or LJ! (And check out my H/Y oneshot too!).


	13. Chapter 13

Sometimes they fought. Blood would be drawn, scars would be left, and not all wounds could be seen on the surface.

Sometimes they fucked. Not made love, but forced themselves into each other violently, took whatever punishment they had to give, bit and clawed and screamed.

Sometimes they faded. It was not often when one felt completely lost to the other, but on occasion they would turn away and let themselves fall deep into their own minds.

Sometimes they fractured. Their realities shifted, and they could only reach for each other, grasping for warm, real flesh.

But always, they loved.


	14. Chapter 14

"You bit me." He held his bleeding hand close to his chest, a bewildered look on his face. The room went from buzzing in tipsy chatter to silent in a moment, all eyes turned to the demonic pair by the windowsill.

"I _did_ warn you, you know." The fire demon glared, but there was a glint of mischief behind his eyes. The fox pouted, moving to the couch full of drunken friends, curling up against the arm. Everyone's eyes moved back to Hiei, no one knowing what to say. Hiei hid his grin.

"I told you: don't touch my hair."


	15. Chapter 15

He stared blankly at the sheet of paper in front of him, as if willing words to appear. It was no use, the lines that he'd managed to write so far became blurred, slurring together, a mix of nonsensical scribbles that were meant to hold some sort of logic. His eyes flickered to his right, taking in the still form on the bed, and he growled to himself. Surely, this was one of life's cruel jokes.

He couldn't concentrate, the lights seemed to flicker between each slow blink of his eyes. The room around him was a fuzzed around the edges, spinning, then suddenly everything was disorientingly still. The figure in the corner of his view shifted slightly, a small movement, but capturing his attention nonetheless. He stared, then shook his head roughly, trying to figure out what he had been doing before the blatant distraction.

His head began to fall forward, the heaviness overtaking him as he leaned over the pile of books in front of him, looking for convenient words but finding instead a language which he could not understand. He gripped his pen tightly, willing himself into consciousness, nails digging deep into his skin. A breeze brushed past through the open window, fluttering the pages, which laughed at his despair. The whole room was shaking, or was his body just trembling? It was hard to tell what was what anymore. Digging his fingers in his hair, he let out a low groan, pulling futilely at red.

He completely lost his composure when the smaller body rolled over, punctuated by a light snore.

With a growl like a sob, the redhead slumped over his papers, banging his head dully against the desk, wishing that it would all be over.

Damn Hiei for sleeping while he still had finals.

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_This. _So much _this_ right now. (yeah I know it's not a drabble sue me)

Don't forget to leave me reviews; they're all I have in this difficult, difficult time.


	16. Chapter 16

It wasn't just that Yusuke liked Kurama. Kurama _was_ Yusuke. He was his humanity, he was his demonic side. He had all of the qualities that made Yusuke clever to the extreme, and all of his faults to the minimum. Perhaps in truth they were complete opposites, in their sameness, but it didn't really matter. What _did_ matter was the fact that they loved so intensely. So honestly. That, if anything was the importance. Of all things, Yusuke made Kurama honest, and in doing so shone all the more brightly. And whenever he would smile at the fox his half human heart would flutter, knowing that such a simple boy could be easily fallible, but choosing to cherish him instead.

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I may or may not be between exams at the moment. I really shouldn't be doing this. I don't even know if this is English anymore. 助けてください。Oh.


	17. Chapter 17

Double drabble-ish thing. Hiei 3

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It wasn't that he didn't love. Of course he did. He loved deeply, intimately. He loved so intensely that it frightened him.

It wasn't that he didn't know _how_ to love. He had a clear idea of what _not_ to do, if anything, based off of his own rearing and abandonment. His love was expressed through his watchful eye, which was unselfish and never wavered.

Simply, his love was quiet, unpretentious. His love made no assumptions, was entirely one-sided. His love was an exercise in discipline, in holding back. His love was his punishment for being an abomination, a killer. Forbidden.

That's why, when the kitsune had pushed him so far past the point of swallowed words, to a place where they could no longer be silenced, that he completely fell apart. It was with the confession of his love, three words whispered with such disdainful violence, like spitting poison, that it broke the fox's heart while simultaneously warming it. He almost lost him then, the shame and self-loathing almost driving the youkai to desperate measures.

Like most things in his life, it took violence to convince him of his validity. It took light bloodshed to prove that he was worth holding on to. It took someone as twisted as him to keep him in place while they sorted through the darkness that had dictated his existence. And even after the years of closeness, the countless nights of shared bodies and souls, the soft words of reciprocation, did he ever believe he deserved it.

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Please bear with the exhausted author's notes:

Okay, just a few more days and one exam before I'm back in the game. For those of you waiting on requests, please be patient with me: they ARE coming. Check my page or pm me for updates. I should have at least one done by my birthday (woohoo!).

Also, I'm noticing the lack of HunerxHunter fics on this site (anyone else notice this?). AO3 has some more, but they're still vastly lacking compared to YYH (but all of Togashi's work is obviously brilliant). I'm thinking of starting a few shorties over the summer months (as I only have a couple of classes), but I don't want to abandon this fandom either. Thoughts?


	18. Chapter 18

Double drabble and a half. Happy Summer.

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"Hiei, please. I'm begging you." The fire demon pointedly ignored the other's whines, sprawled out on the bed, sweat falling down his hardened body. He ran a hand through his hair, slowly, languidly, trying to ease the tension that filled his form. It was no use; the smaller youkai succumbed to a low groan as the heat pushed past his consciousness, flushing his normally pale skin. Kurama glared at him, biting his lower lip and worrying at it with his teeth. Again, Hiei ignored him.

"If it's bothering you so much then why are you still wearing all of those goddamn layers?" He questioned snidely, his hand running lightly over bare flesh as it trailed downward, resting in the crease of his hip. Even that was too much, too hot. Hiei groaned again, writhing in place as he sought some sort of release from the hell he was in.

Damn that Kurama. What ningen didn't have some form of air conditioning? Putting on clothes was _not_ something he was willing to do in this heat.

It was a moment before he realized the kitsune had grown quiet and he peeked an eye open, looking toward his sweat dampened companion with mild curiosity. Kurama was staring at him, drinking in his naked form like water, licking parched lips. It was then that Hiei realized his mistake.

"You're right," the fox said, sauntering his way and pulling off his tunic with practiced eroticism, "It's about high time I joined you."

What was to follow could only be described as heat stroke.


	19. Chapter 19

Laughter could be heard ringing from the group downstairs as the redhead slipped into his bedroom, toing off his slippers by the door. He looked around, expecting to find a smaller body occupying either the space on his bed or on top of his bookshelf, but the window remained closed. Curious, he made his way to the other end of the room, sliding the glass up and accosting his friend, who had made himself comfortable on the branch just outside.

"Were you planning on coming in, Hiei?" The fire demon looked at him curiously for a moment, then climbed inside, shutting the window but not moving too far from it. Kurama only smiled at him, noting that his behavior was off, but not thinking it something to worry over.

"I figured you'd be more likely to spend the time with them if I wasn't waiting around in your bedroom," the youkai replied, something the redhead hadn't really expected. He directed a questioning glance his way, smile still in place.

"They've had their fill of me tonight. I had some reading to catch up on anyway." He motioned toward a book, one that by the looks of his bookmark was already finished. Hiei slipped out of his boots, not looking particularly pleased.

"Hn. Shouldn't you be covered in cake?" The redhead laughed, the sound light and pure. Hiei's face softened unintentionally.

"Just because Yusuke shoved Kuwabara's face into his doesn't make it a tradition. And I thought perhaps you'd join me for a piece later." He beamed. Hiei couldn't argue with that. Didn't really want to either.

The kitsune glided over to the bed, sprawling out like a giddy child and rolling over onto his back to gaze up at the fire demon, who still stood by his discarded footwear. The youkai did his best to give a fierce glare, but the sight was so disarming he found himself fighting back a smile instead.

"What do you do, on days like this?" His eyes were so bright.

"Be happy." The former thief answered simply, his magnetism pulling the hi youkai toward him. Instinctually, Hiei ran his fingers through soft locks of red, but only the ends, careful not to get to close to touching skin. Kurama watched him intently, seeming content to shift his weight and make room for the other. Hiei obliged, sitting so the fox was curled around his waist. It was different for them. Different, but not bad.

"The significance is stupid." He tried, purely to see how the kitsune would react. He received another prizewinning smile.

"The significance is precious, to me. And my mother. And to most humans. Don't you ever wish to celebrate life?" This too was a ploy for reaction, but Kurama was playful enough not to irritate the other. Hiei paused in his ministrations, looking out the window before speaking, unsure of what was causing such an interest in kind conversation. He refused to admit that he liked it.

"In general, no. But yours, yours I think I can do." His head snapped back as he felt long fingers close over the hand that was playing with the fox's hair, finding himself enveloped in green eyes. Rather than being taken aback, he melted into it. Some things were just right.

"I'm glad you're here, Hiei." He poured everything into those words, into the smile he wore, and it was heard. _Thank you for remembering. Thank you for seeking me out. Thank you for spending these years with me._ There was a gentle pressure on his hand, and suddenly crimson orbs were smiling back at him softly.

"Me too."

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I know its a bit OOC, and not my style, but its my birthday and I wanted to write something cute. And yes, this is turning into scenes more than drabbles. What can I say, the muses do what the muses want.


	20. Chapter 20

"Tell me, Kurama, why do you refuse to believe I've changed?" He stared at the blind king, as if willing him to disappear with his eyes. Yomi only smiled back softly, but it did nothing to disarm the kitsune.

"I have a new body and even _I_ haven't changed enough not to want revenge, if our positions were reversed, that is." The king laughed, a pleasant sound, at odds with the aura he received.

"That's the difference, I suppose. I never wanted revenge, well, perhaps at first. All I ask for is atonement. Where you've led me is more than enough of that."

He moved to walk away, only to find something tugging lightly at his sleeve. He didn't turn around, just cocked his head to the side, as if listening. The gesture alone, he thought, was enough.

"Thank you, Yomi." It was no more that a whisper, but it was heard.

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To the anonymous reviewer who is still waiting on a request: I promise, it's in the works. I'm fairly certain you've been with me for a lot of my stories (though I can't be certain, with an anon), so I want to get this out for you as soon as possible, but I'm struggling with it. I'm not sure if you want a Youko or a human Kurama, so if you've got a preference tell me and I'll re-write what I've got... again... sigh. But it's coming.


	21. Chapter 21

Despite all of the techniques he learned, Hiei's sword was still his favorite weapon. It wasn't the most reliable fallback, or the strongest, but when he stepped out onto the battlefield and put his life on the line it was done behind that streak of silver. It had broken countless times, the blade shattering as it met with a surface it could not pierce, but he always tried to save what he could, salvaging the hilt at the very least. He was never seen without it, his lonely companion, at his side.

Through each of the perils he faced, from childhood through his adolescence, his sword had been the only thing he had to lean on. And even when he had mastered the Black Dragon, had literally gone to hell and back, it was only in the most dire of circumstances that he'd return his blade to its sheath.


	22. Chapter 22

Kurama sighed happily, beaming down at an exhausted Hiei. The fire demon's arms were thrown over his forehead as he panted lightly, sweat giving the surface of his light skin a healthy sheen. He peeked an eye open, seeing the kitsune's smile and raising a covered eyebrow.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," he was still smiling, but he paused before he amended his statement. "Just you."

Hiei grinned back, closing his eye again as Kurama descended to place a small kiss on the top of his nose. Curling up, huddled in each other, they drifted off into a peaceful slumber.


	23. Chapter 23

He didn't know what he would have become, if Yusuke had truly died. There were only two outcomes for the state of the world, and only one that seemed possible. Sensui, if undefeated, would have left the world to burn. Of course, he would have been forced to find a way back, to return through the portal and try to save his mother, but then what? What sort of monster would he have turned into in trying to keep her alive? If they had won, he wondered if it would have been any different. Could he have continued on, without the influence of the detective, after being given so much of his power back? Would he have turned to the familiarity of his thievery? Or perhaps he would have become one of the very monsters that the second worldly detective had been trying to release. If that happened, would anyone have been able to stop him?

Kurama sometimes wondered about life without Yusuke, and each time he was glad that it was not a reality he was forced to face.


	24. Chapter 24

They had fallen apart after taking each other out at the warehouse. It had taken time and a willingness to revisit what they had before to just be able to stay in the same room together, let alone work. It was weeks of sitting in silence, the fear of words ruining their chances of reconciliation from actually letting it happen.

Then, one day, it changed. It was an unassuming sort of thing, at least to Kurama. For Hiei, the change had been an obvious concession, an apology of sorts, though he couldn't bring himself to believe that one was really needed: it _had_ been Kurama to betray his trust.

The kitsune was outside, helping his mother put laundry on the clothesline, visible to the fire demon who had been sulking in his room. It was out of sheer boredom that he chose to watch the interaction, but that didn't make it any less affecting. They were laughing lightly at something, Shiori in good health again, when he saw what he had never been allowed to see before. She turned, tending to the straightening of a shirt when Kurama allowed himself a smile. It was a private thing, softer than any Hiei had ever seen before, full of an emotion he could not quite place. Without seeming to know, the fox clutched at his heart, and then the moment broke, Shiori turning to him with the next article that needed to be hung.

Hiei had backed into the room after that, settling himself on the other's bed. Nothing had actually changed, but for the first time in their partnership Hiei felt that he understood. Not condone, not justify, not even appreciate, but he understood. At the time of his betrayal, the fox had been Hiei's world, the only thing in his sights, but for Kurama the same was not true. Though they had come a long way from trying to kill each other as roundabout tests of skill and trust, Hiei was far from taking her place as his top priority.

Finding himself flooded with unfamiliar feelings of understanding and dismay, Hiei laid himself down to sleep his thoughts away, clutching at a corner of the other's pillow. Kurama found him there within the hour, accepting the familiarity for the sign that it was. So not to disturb him, he'd returned the gesture, curling up next to him for a midday nap.

And like that all was forgiven.


	25. Chapter 25

"Have you ever wondered about the white in your hair?"

Hiei didn't look at him, staring out at the setting sun. The evening was still, save for the lightest of breezes that swept by every few minutes, ruffling the very feature that the kitsune had called notice to. He watched his friend, content to take him in instead of the orange orb in the sky.

"It's a marker, supposedly," came Hiei's reply, all too nonchalant and quiet to be genuine, "of the imiko."

Kurama took the information in, not having expected the answer, before averting his gaze. He felt he owned Hiei the opportunity not to be scrutinized. Such straightforward openness was uncommon with him; the lack of precursory banter had caught the other off guard.

"And what of you?" Hiei said in much the same manner, shifting the subject. Kurama blinked. "Where'd the red come from?"

The kitsune allowed his look to ease the tension, a self-satisfied grin spreading across his face as Hiei turned his attention to his features, all lit up in warm reds and yellows.

"It was black, originally. I found it dull, lacking the quality necessary for the showmanship I used to possess. I, of course, made the necessary changes before my emergence." Hiei thought about that for a moment, before being struck by a thought.

"Are you telling me that you, who didn't have enough energy to sustain your own body when injured, took the form of an unborn human child and used what little energy you did have _to change the color of his hair?_" Kurama shrugged mildly, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "You're insane."

"No," the fox countered, smiling around the word, "just a bit vain."

Hiei almost smiled, and Kurama took that to mean they were heading in the right direction. It was like that they shared secrets, talking with long pauses in between subjects as the sun came down around them, basking in the knowledge of each other that they only allowed each other to know.

* * *

Everyone has some silly head canons, why not this one?


	26. Chapter 26

Contrary to common misconception, Kurama did not enjoy school. What he enjoyed was learning, plain and simple, without the intricacies of the human institution that seemed to lack anything resembling sense or organization. The pace at which they were taught lacked much to be desired, as did the subject matter, the socially oriented projects, and the hierarchy. But even with such things did he find himself learning. Though he never cared for mathematics, he found that the skills he learned in school gave him an edge over his enemies (though, to be fair it was usually physics that he utilized), the group work gave him an idea about how other humans his age interacted, and being forced into feigning respect for his teachers was everyday practical application of his coercive ways. Being made to go to school kept the demon within him alive, and often he thought that without it he would have been perfectly content to spend every moment of his human days caring for Shiori without a thought to anything else.

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I may not be in middle/high school, but that doesn't mean I don't hold disdain for the system (can you tell?).


	27. Chapter 27

Hiei only ate like a beast when he was with the humans, as if it gave him a special quality of demon-ness about him. It was the reason why Kurama, with the exception of evenings that Hiei was particularly irritating, found himself laughing quietly during mealtimes. When they were alone, such ridiculous psychological tactics were unnecessary. In moments like this Kurama would watch as Hiei took his food apart meticulously, quickly examining what he ate before ingesting it. He _always_ cut into everything that went into his mouth, wary, as if each slice was its own form of interrogation. It was quite some time, and many long battles, before Hiei sat down at the counter in Kurama's kitchen and simply ate, without butchering the dish that he knew would not harm him.

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Apologies for the length between updates; All should be settled by the end of this month.


	28. Chapter 28

"Don't," Hiei said almost belatedly, Kurama's lips only a moment from his. The kitsune paused, licking his lips out of instinct with the object of his desire only inches away. He expected further argument, or at least elucidation of the first, but none came. Pulling back, just enough, he looked at his would-be lover.

Hiei looked equal parts terrified and aroused. His eyes were half lidded, but darted between the lips in front of him and the window. His hands, tense and trembling, shifted between reaching out and clutching at his sides. His body stayed tersely still while his head seemed to tilt forward.

"_Don't_," Hiei had said, but no more resistance came.

Kurama kissed him anyway.


	29. Chapter 29

Nighttime was for lovers, the saying went. It was a time for secret rendezvous, a time when caution was thrown to the wind, when logic and analytics were secondary to passionate emotion. It was a time for embracing, for drowning bare skin in the moonlight, for worshipping and being worshiped in return.

Though he had loved quite freely in his years, Kurama couldn't help but think the phrase foolish.

Nighttime was for hunters. It was a time when vulnerable things were taken advantage of, when prey was watched and stalked, when quick instincts were the difference between a final breath or the next. The night was when he flourished, when he let his human skin fall away in favor of something animalistic and familiar, something that didn't need pretense or justification or convention.

The hunt began with a fight, then turned to one with needles hidden in words, with daggers in looks. The fox was never quite sure if he was always the hunter or if sometimes his prey tried to turn the tables. It only made the chase that much more exhilarating, knowing how it would end despite this.

Then, suddenly, there was no chase at all. The game came to a draw, abrupt as it was expected, lacking the fanfare that he had hoped to go out with. He and the prey learned to coexist. Why, he wasn't so sure.

And then the night was once again for hunting, the prey once again on the run. This hunt differed from the others, both familiar and inherently lacking the same goals. They danced around each other, attacked in the form of a caress, used words as poison instead of as blades. By the time the prey was caught, hanging by his feet to be stripped and devoured like a wild rabbit, the fox had forgotten his original point.

Night was for hunters, for those willing to seek out what they desired, to pounce upon the opportunity to take it no matter what the consequence. It was a time for sweat to pool, for adrenaline to rush, for blood to be tasted. With the meaning of romantics lost in the fog of the hunt, Kurama took his prey between his hands and swallowed him whole.

* * *

Two weeks, two days, and a handful of hours before I'm back in the game.


	30. Chapter 30

None of them expected the fox within to become ill. No one had thought that it could harm the other, forgetting that he was not entirely normal. After all, his biology was not exactly human.

When he first became sick, the fire demon disappeared. The detective was distraught, taking on all of the other's hurt and confusion for himself, acting out in anger while Kurama only laid in bed, eyes heavy, waiting for an end. Keiko came by often, bringing food and books, reading to him while he closed his eyes, able to do little but listen. Kuwabara was there the most, his compassion immesurable, tending to the kitsune's needs that his mother could not. They had grown so close, after the last tournament, despite having followed seperate paths. Shiori was infinitely grateful to him the most, seeing as he was the only one who could make him smile, who really reminded him of his humanity. Kuwabara, out of all of them, understood his helplessness, and empathized.

He grew worse as the weeks passed, his symptoms seemingly mild but crippling. It came to a point where sleep was near constant, interrupted only by light coughing and a sweat as cold as ice, waking halfway as his caretakers tended to him quietly. As the exhaustion set in, he stopped conversing as Keiko read to him. He stopped smiling as Shiori sang.

Yusuke could feel it when his life began to slip, when his breaths became too shallow to sustain him. Kuwabara gathered everyone, crammed into the small room that the human him had grown up in. The boys theorized frantically, trying to find a way to save him and coming up blank. The girls sat, silent and somber, absorbed in private prayers.

It was just before his last breath was taken that the window opened from the outside, the fire demon sauntering in as if he hadn't been missing for months. Before the team could turn on him, tear off his head for his absence and for the other's pain, he was on the bed, straddling the kistune. There was nothing to do but watch with morbid awe as he popped open a vial concealed in his hand, and brought it to his lips. Kurama didn't move when he leaned down, taking his face in his hands, and pressing their mouths together.

A moment passed of quiet nonreaction before the smallest hint of the fox's mouth opened, a small swallow following as the youkai went deep, pulling back only when the contents were gone. The detective charged at him as he wiped the edges of the other's mouth, surprisingly tender, before noticing the change.

Kurama's breath evened, his chest raising and falling normally as the seconds ticked by. The color in his face began to return, making it clearer to those who had been by his side just how pale he had gotten. His eyelashes fluttered, not opening fully, as his hand reached out to grasp the other. It was weak, but his fingers curled around Hiei's, the most movement he had made on his own in weeks.

It was Shiori who tackled Hiei, sobbing while smiling, her arms wrapping around both of them in a grip as tight as death. She held him close as she cried, running her fingers through red hair, thanking him without being able to form words. Hiei had frozen, as still as could be, before relaxing into the hold and turning his attention to the half demon laying beneath him.

The group filtered out one by one, giving them a moment of privacy as they celebrated in the outside hallway. An hour later, when the room had grown quiet, the girls stuck their heads in, finding Hiei and Shiori curled up on either side of the kitsune, holding him tightly, fast asleep. As quiet as they could, they ushered the rest downstairs, convincing Yusuke not to take pictures as he snickered all the way down.

* * *

Had to write this since I'm doing a super angsty Hunter x Hunter fic along a similar vein. I can just see Shiori knowing that Hiei's a part of Kurama's life in some way, and not even hesitating to express how grateful she is for him, even if it makes him twitchy. (I'm going through Hiei withdrawals, don't judge me.) This could have probably been its own story...

Reviews make me smile!


	31. Chapter 31

He'd never been like any of the others, not those who he claimed to protect or those who resulted in his fragmentation. He'd always been special, unique in his steadfast determination. After the break, the dark one had learned to appreciate the memories that they'd shared before and record every detail of what he had to look forward to on the forefront of his mind.

If anyone deserved the world, it was Shinobu. If he wished it to burn, Itsuki would help him with that too.

As Shinobu slept within himself, Itsuki went to work. To make his twisted dreams come true.


	32. Chapter 32

If you haven't already, **check out my Kurama/Hiei oneshot The Trick**! As always, **reviews are greatly appreciated.**

* * *

"Hiei."

The kitsune licked at his lips before splitting it between his teeth and letting blood stain his own mouth as he pulled away. The fire demon took it in stride, leaning down and nipping at the other's jawline. The redhead breathed out heavily, moving his face to nuzzle the other's, his eyes open and waiting.

"I'm going to move."

Kurama let out the smallest of gasps as the other shifted above him, but didn't make a sound beyond that of his breathing. He caught the fire demon's gaze, holding it as Hiei slid from him. On the upstroke, the kitsune's eyes fluttered, nails biting into the other's arm and causing him to stop immediately.

"Slowly."

Hiei leaned in close as he pushed back in, drawing lines in the redhead's cheek with his nose, lips trailing over the skin he could reach in feather soft touches. Kurama's eyes drifted closed with the contact, turning so that he could press his lips to the other's. Arms threaded around Hiei's neck as Kurama arched up, closing the short distance between their chests.

"Touch me."

A battle calloused hand slid down his torso at an agonizing pace, through beading trails of sweat as sweet as honey. It traced back upward, past his neck to cup his face, leaving the kitsune with shivers running down his spine. The sight of him left Hiei breathless, the urge to lean down and taste every inch of him too good to resist. With great difficulty, Kurama pulled back, fisting the other's hair and directing his eyes downward.

"This, Hiei," he spoke, the gold of his skin illuminated by fading sunlight. "This is how you make love."


	33. Chapter 33

"Let's play a game," Kurama said with his usual nonchalance, but his eyes told a very different story. Hiei may not have known the kitsune for long, but he'd already learned to grow wary at looks like that.

"What are the stakes?" The redhead didn't suppress his half smile, running a hand through his hair as the wind blew it in his face.

"Our lives, of course." The fire demon shifted uncomfortably, not pleased with the idea.

"I thought we were partners. Partners don't place bets on each other's lives." Kurmaa rolled his eyes gently, earning a small glare before softening his gaze, but only a little.

"Not like that. If you win, my life is yours to do with what you please. And if I win," his green eyes were smoldering behind his mask of patience. "You become mine."

Despite his better judgement, the fire demon shook on it.

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Oh yes, more KuraHi content is on the way.


	34. Chapter 34

It was one particular movement that did it, the feeling that it produced. He gasped, his eyes wide in shock as his head fell back and body arched of its own volition in a spasm.

"Stop," Hiei choked, causing Kurama to halt immediately. "This is a mistake."

The redhead kept still, looking down upon the other as he writhed, lost to sensation yet trying to escape it. He brushed back sweat soaked black hair, watching how Hiei jumped at the small contact, the way his hands pushed him away by the shoulders while grasping him tightly. Gently, he shifted, pulling a cry from the other as his weight settled and filled him at just the right angle.

"Hiei," he spoke, waiting until the other met his eyes. In them was fright and incredulity, arousal and vulnerability. In them a world of possibility was reflected back at him. "Its merely you and I. How could that be a mistake?"

Hiei's breathing slowed, his eyes closing and opening a few times before he was able to look at the kitsune again. Kurama just smiled at him, brushing timid fingertips over his cheek. They stayed like that for a moment, silently debating, before Hiei's grip loosened in favor or wrapping his arms around the redhead's neck. It was with great effort, and hesitation, that the smaller one craned upward to place a shaky kiss on the other's mouth. Acknowledging the concession, Kurama lay him back down, kissed him softly, and took the lead once more.

* * *

I can't resist the KuraHi!

**I'M BACK!** After that unfortunate stint into HxH, I've decided that you lovely people are way more fun to write for! Expect more fun stuff soon! **Also**, if you're waiting on a request, feel free to drop me a line (my queue is outdated). You WILL see it eventually!


	35. Chapter 35

"Yusuke," Kurama breathed, pausing to regain his composure. The former spirit detective was in a similar state, sweat dripping from his skin but looking a hell of a lot more pleased about it. "Is the uphill run really necessary before we begin our instruction?"

The dark haired teen laughed, wiping the moisture from his brow and picking up his shirt from where he'd discarded it before they began.

"Hey, you wanted to know what my training with Genkai was like, for whatever reason. I'm just giving you an honest sampling. Besides," he started, taking in the sight of his friend. The redhead had refused the other's invitation to get more comfortable before they took off, leaving his collared cotton shirt drenched from the exertion. His hair was matted against the back of his neck, cheeks tinted the slightest pink from the breakneck pace they'd held for the duration of the run. "Its nice to be the only one to see you disheveled like this. Besides Hiei, I mean."

Kurama blinked at him, his blank face shifting slowly into a sly smile. He stretched, pulling his hair up into a high ponytail with feigned nonchalance as he tried to keep his expression mild.

"_Not_ like this. But perhaps if we make ample progress today, I'll give you an _honest sampling_."

Yusuke had never felt more motivated in his life.

* * *

So, I may or may not be working on a Yusuke x Kurama x Hiei piece in between requests. Anyone interested?

(Also, KyoHana is the sun that lights my sky ~)


	36. Chapter 36

Pre-Reikai Heist

(What can I say, I'm a sucker for these two hating each other.)

* * *

It had been another snide comment about humanity, another remark on the meaning of weakness, but this one had seemed inexcusable. It was one too many, a poorly timed moment to be looking for a fight, but Hiei was still in the testing stage of his relationship with the kitsune. He'd not known then just what he would get in response, and it struck him to his core like ice.

"You do not know," the redhead said, his voice suddenly low and dark, reflecting his age, "the meaning of the word hopeless. You do not understand loss because you have never experienced warmth, and because you do not deserve to. Your life is flighty, under constant threat of being put out because of your riskiness, all because of your desire to be saved. Acting the way you do, I would sooner sacrifice myself to watch you ripped apart than to save you from even the most avoidable demise."

He'd had no words to respond with after that, leaving from the other's room by the window as soon as the finality of the statement had sunk in. He didn't return until the last moments of necessity before their plot, knowing that it was too late to attempt comforting the other and truly fearing that he'd lost his position at the other's side.


	37. Chapter 37

"Kurama," he started with obvious questioning behind the hint of a smile. "Why exactly are you gracing me with your presence?" The redhead shrugged partway, not breaking his focus as he moved his pawn forward and took the other's knight. Yomi had let him, he knew, but it was more fun to challenge his expectations than to try to run around the board for a more obscure strategy.

"Curiosity." He sat back as the other's queen took his pawn, a boring move to match his own, but a valid one at that. He was rather enjoying this, playing without care for who would be bested. "Does it bother you?"

Yomi was quick to shake his head, his smile growing into the grin of a man easily contented.

"More like, makes me curious myself. Is there some sort of angle I'm missing? We've not had reason to speak in what feels like ages." It was true; there were no tournaments, no contests for the world, nothing to be gained tactically from the meeting. Kurama shifted, setting his piece down and tilting his head to the side playfully.

"You're right; we've no common interests anymore. Doesn't that make spending time like this so much nicer?" The blind king took that in for a moment, basking in the happy quiet that passed between them as they played, and sighed.

"It really is."

* * *

Still not my ship, but I really like the idea of these two acknowledging that everything between them is different and running with it. There's a few more Yomi ideas you'll probably get from me eventually!


	38. Chapter 38

Kurama struggled under the weight that the fire demon was resting on his wrists, making a contrived effort at escape. Hiei would not have it, maneuvering so that his feet were holding down the other's legs, effectively pinning him in place. All at once Kurama ceased his movements, looking up at his opponent with calm expectation. Hiei would have thought it odd were it not for his readiness to gloat.

"See," he barked, a little louder than was probably necessary, as his face was only about a foot away from the redhead's. "I told you I was physically stronger."

Kurama's expression did not change, hinting to the fire demon that perhaps he had spoken too soon. Even so, the kitsune did not test his grip, instead choosing to speak slowly as if to a child, or someone severely stunted in intellect.

"And when did the word 'physically' become a part of our wager?"

Hiei stared before his face changed, suddenly falling. Releasing his hold on the other, the smaller of the two leaped back as if he'd been burned. What followed was a series of angry curses as he stormed off, realizing belatedly that yet again he'd been baited.

_Thirty-two_, Kurama mentally tallied, not moving from the spot he occupied right away. _and Hiei zero_.

At least this partnership was proving interesting.

* * *

Request list has been updated!


	39. Chapter 39

Of the two of them, Kurama was the neurotic one. He was meticulous when it came to dates, times, and places, his self organization far exceeding anything that would have been remotely necessary in his usually structured life.

It was Hiei, however, who took to remembering anniversaries. He'd been casual about it the first time, as the calendar marked a year past the day they'd met. Kurama hadn't paid it much mind (rather, he'd been preoccupied over the fact that Hiei had remembered something that he did not) and Hiei hadn't pushed the issue; he'd just remarked on the date and made some sort of rude comment about what a waste all the time in the human world had been and that had been that.

By the second time he made it a point to call notice to, things had changed. For one, the number on the calendar was different. Kurama had been about to correct him when Hiei had shaken his head, stating solidly that this was the important one. This, he said with too much nonchalance to be genuine, was their real anniversary. One year ago, they'd departed on their first official mission with Yusuke.

Kurama had stared at him uncomprehendingly for a time before the differences set in; Hiei in his room, comfortable on his bed, not itching for a fight or readying his weapon, simply at ease watching the wind outside ruffle the trees. Things had changed, he realized in a moment of confirming clarity, and things had gotten better. After all, Hiei had remembered their anniversary.

Just like that, understated and quietly, Hiei would comment on all of their important dates. As time passed and they grew, so did their collection, until nearly every day was significant enough to warrant his memory.

* * *

In the spirit of celebration, I'd like to say happy one year anniversary to The Drabbles! This past year writing for the YuYu fandom has been absolutely lovely (and yes, I know I have other works published before this, but this is the only continuous work)! I hope for many more with you all!

A **special thanks** to those of you who have been leaving me consistent reviews over the past year. YOU are the ones who keep me here and keep me writing! If it weren't for you I'd have given up long ago, so thank you for your unwavering support!

Cheers!


	40. Chapter 40

Yusuke had learned from experience that sometimes, he wasn't welcome.

That wasn't exactly it - he'd been given a standing invitation to the kitsune's home which he exploited just as often as he desired, dragging Keiko (who always felt as if she was intruding) or tagging along with Kuwabara when he went for tutoring every other week. Kurama always seemed happy to have him, so much so that he'd even put aside a cabinet in his immaculately organized kitchen for snack foods he'd never been seen to touch just for the occasions of their visits. All in all, life after the Tantei had continued without breaking the balance of their friendship, something they'd all been afraid would happen and had quietly fought to protect.

But there were times when Yusuke knew not to knock on his door.

Kurama's life, despite being something that he shared with the few he'd fought by the sides of, was still more private than it was open. How he lived day to day was in great part a mystery to the former detective, one he accepted without question when given small hints and information. If Kurama was a mystery, though, even more so was Hiei.

Yusuke knew better than to take another step when he felt their energies collide, no matter how curious it made him. It was a quiet sort of thing, Hiei's visits from Makai, and Yusuke knew that if he'd intended for Yusuke to see him he'd have shown up on his doorstep instead. Rather, Hiei had chosen Kurama as his confidant, as his person on whom to depend. When the two breathing puzzles came together, Yusuke chose to remove himself. It was better, he thought, than interrupting whatever they had.

And when Hiei and Kurama would lie in each others arms, feeling his quick approach and slow retreat, they'd silently thank their friend for an observance that they'd never verbally acknowledge, for fear that their moments together would shorten because of it.

* * *

Hey everyone, sorry for the wait between drabbles!

I've actually just posted **two brand new, multichapter fics!** One is KuramaxHiei (called **Buddy Spiked**) and finally we've got out YusukexKuramaxHiei (**To Weigh the Heart's Inadequacies**)! If you can, check them out - I've gotten a number of follows/favorites but few reviews and I'm not quite feeling the love!


	41. Chapter 41

"Stop making this difficult, Kurama."

The kitsune did nothing to acknowledge that he'd heard the other. The speed at which he moved away from the voice directed at him was impressive, considering the severity of the limp with which he now stumbled, but that wasn't about to stop him from making a beeline from the door to his bed.

"I'm tired, Hiei. I just want to close my eyes."

Thin lips formed an even thinner line, the lack of amusement in then matching the glare that graced his features. It was difficult enough to stay angry at the kitsune, particularly when he was exhibiting the amount of difficulty in removig his shoes as at the current moment. They were slip ons.

"If you close your eyes, you'll sleep. If you sleep, you'll die."

"You're being dramatic; my wounds are far from fatal." The words were forced, taking a great effort as his second shoe finally popped off and nearly knocked it's owner off balance.

"Then you can afford to stay awake long enough to bathe." Hiei didn't miss how, despite the nasty yet exasperated look he was recieving from the redhead, he'd paused long enough before ruining his bedsheets with red for him to interject. "Take off your clothes."

Kurama stared, holding himself up with both hands on the desk chair, before obliging. It was an arduous act - at least to witness, with the way his whole form shook in just trying to stay upright - but Hiei made no move to help. That is, not until Kurama was entirely undressed in front of him and threatening to meet with the hotel carpet.

"Now," Hiei said, wrapping one arm beneath the kitsune's underarms and supporting his dragging feet. "Let's take care of those wounds."

Kurama let his eyes close as he was hauled toward the private bathroom, and pretended not to catch his meaning.

* * *

For the tumblr request: A bath with Kurama &amp; Hiei. Thanks anon!

Really wanted to write this as a post-Karasu scene, with Hiei being the caretaker. This very well may develop into it's own little oneshot, but for now I hope you enjoy it anon (even though they didn't actually take a bath)!


	42. Chapter 42

"You look like a woman."

Kurama's first instinct was confusion, followed quickly by indignation. A moment of silence before what would have been a curt retort had revealed a curious expression on the other's face: one not indicative of mischief.

"What makes you say that?"

Hiei had scrunched up his face and pointed to the middle of his chest. As it turned out, it was the apron that baffled Hiei.

"Aprons aren't gender restricted," Hiei raised an eyebrow - as if something like that would matter to the kitsune, even if he _had_ called notice to it. "They're used when cooking to act as a barrier between the food and your clothes. It both keeps your clothes from being dirtied and the food from being contaminated."

"Then why do I associate it with human women?" Kurama made a face then, the one he wore when playing at deep thought.

"Probably because women are more likely to care about thins like that than most men are."

Hiei had absorbed the information and moved on, the subject closed - no fuss or follow up remarks to be made. Kurama always made it a point to let these episodes go without comment; no matter how observant he was, there were bound to be aspects of human life that Hiei would need clarification on. It was his job, self-proclaimed or not, to normalize his questioning.

Days passed without incident; Hiei spending his leave from Makai napping in Kurama's bed while the redhead worked, their evenings pleasant but short. It was a busy season for Kurama, and despite his charm and generally impeccable attendance record he'd run into trouble securing time off. He'd been lucky enough to wrangle a long weekend - the extension of a Monday and a Tuesday to be precise, but the days leading up to it had been nothing short of hellish.

His exhaustion had begun to show through his calm facade - Hiei had, of course, noticed the false exterior, but knew better than to inquire about it. If Kurama had taken the time to put on airs, it was surely because he'd not wanted the other to worry.

When Kurama failed to return home on time that last Friday, Hiei discarded his cloak and set to work.

The refrigerator always managed to be stocked when he visited; whether or not that was it's natural state or Kurama put an extra effort forth was unknown to him. Kurama had made the apartment his home only a year before but Hiei knew the layout well by then: knives spaced evenly in the drawer next to the cutlery, pots and pans stacked according to size and use in the cupboard to the left and right of the plumbing. Butcher block counter tops served in place of a cutting mat, though the redhead kept a marble pastry board at hand for bread (the difference Hiei had found out the hard way, when helping to prep the gyu-don and being met with swift hands intercepting his knife). Cooking was not outside Hiei's reach of knowledge; he'd cooked with Kurama many times before, just usually as a helper - chopping and washing things, never in front of the stove despite his propensity for fire. Somehow, Kurama had always been the one to prepare the meal, whether it was a simple dish or multiple courses. This, for Hiei, would be a first.

He'd set out familiar ingredients and paused, hands hovering just above them, when his eyes flicked to the pantry door.

Three seconds ticked by, Hiei unmoving as his mind calculated the chances of him making some sort of a mess with what was in front of him. With the additional risk that came with being a novice in the kitchen, it only made sense. After all, he didn't have very many shirts to begin with.

The article in particular wasn't offending in any way: white and plain, with no evidence of ever having been used, despite him having seen it on the other every time he stepped up to the stove for more than boiling water. Aside from the knot that he'd tied in the front bumping the counter (done as he'd seen the kitsune do), there was nothing to remind him that he was even wearing it. Quick, clean, secure. Just like Kurama.

The meal was in its final stages when the door to the apartment opened, Kurama pausing in the entryway as he was met with the sounds and smells of cooking. Hiei was in the middle of stirring a pot - risotto? - his concentration trumping the other's presence. The redhead took him in, his trench coat slipping from his shoulders so he could hang it on its hook above his briefcase. Without wasting another second, he moved in, pressing himself up against the other's back and looking over his shoulder.

"In a hundred years I never expected this." His voice shifted from pleased to surprised. "You opened up a bottle of wine."

"For the chicken," Hiei said offhandedly, not looking away from what he was doing. There were sliced almonds in the risotto. "You've done it before."

"Something like it. It didn't smell this good before." Kurama's nose rubbed Hiei's temple with no response. Had their previous conversation on the matter gone any differently, the action likely would have been followed by tremendous teasing. "You've taken a liking to the apron."

A hand slid around from the left to pull at the tie, the other moving straight to the bottom of Hiei's top and lifting it so that it could rest on his hard abdomen.

"Personally, I prefer you without it," he purred, the pleasure from the surprise of Hiei cooking for him and the days ahead of them surfacing all at once. Without warning, something hot was pressing against his tongue: Hiei having shoved the spoon in his mouth.

"Shut up and tell me if this needs more salt."

* * *

Hi everyone! Just want to throw a plug in for the Yu Yu Hakusho Big Bang, which is taking place right now on tumblr! That's right - we've got fan artists and authors from all over the fandom collaborating on brand new works! It's going to be awesome, so check it out if you've got time! I'll be participating too, so there's more to come!


	43. Chapter 43

Because of bottomofthewell's "You know what's great to think about? What your faves sound like when they're being railed… ." post

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There was nothing in all of the three worlds that Kurama loved more than knowing that, with the right pressure and pacing, he could make Hiei wail.

It was as addictive as the taste of sparks on his tongue, the way his voice would rise far beyond its range, overtaken and almost feminine. The moment it broke free of his throat he changed, no longer a being experiencing pleasure but the feeling itself, uninhibited. Kurama knew then that they were close to finished: when Hiei screamed as he came unconsciouness came too. The violence of those trysts required the tenderest aftercare, and when Hiei would awaken as the sun rose on the day that would follow with a sore throat and sorer hips he did so fresh and clean and in Kurama's arms.

Though known for his trademark speed, when Hiei led he preferred to move slowly.

Despite finding meaning in himself and in his path, nothing was as fulfilling as drawing out Kurama's ecstasy until his voice rolled. Where Kurama could overwhelm, Hiei had the skill to lengthen their play to maddening heights. He would start by soliciting satisfied hums, extending into long, low, gravelly moans. The ends and beginnings would all run together, touch and set teeth on top of rhythmic pushes electrifying already stimulated flesh. Only when green eyes had rolled back in their sockets and his back had arched to a breakable curve would Hiei pick up speed, and only then would his voice halt, gasping and breathless, as he found completion in silence complete.

* * *

It's been a while since I've posted a drabble but I've got no intention of stopping!

**COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN.**

Due to certain personal circumstances, I'm actually going to be opening up a few slots for commissions for a little while. I've never really announced public commissions, so this is probably your one chance to get a personalized story. Message or email me - my rates are way below the norm!

Also, if you haven't already go check out Chapter 2 of To Weigh the Heart's Inadequacies!

And if you like it, leave me a nice note!


	44. Chapter 44

"_Haza thorto menion klahf!_"

Hiei just watched as speech he didn't recognize spilled from Kurama's tongue, the redhead shouting as he threw a pile of books across the room. The pages flew and a loud crack followed, the desk following them to the ground in suit.

He'd never seen him like this, not in all of their years and trials together. The severity that the other was showing to his belongings was enough to give Hiei pause in the tree outside his window, wary of coming in. By the same token he felt panic; the possibility that Kurama could be possessed or overtaken causing his condition not escaping him. The plant wielder's energy was erratic, but true to his own, making Hiei rethink his assessment.

"What's happened?" The window was as far as he was willing to enter, balancing his weight on the sill. The other didn't even look at him, hands in his hair pulling in frustration.

"Yomi," Kurama hissed, breaking from the archaic language he'd been foaming in. "The _bastard_."

His desk lamp, which had somehow survived the fall, found a new home in ruins against the far wall. Hiei watched as Kurama paced, putting together what he could with what he knew.

Yomi had returned after long absence, boredom and a growing son seeking his own path bringing him back to Makai society. It was with concerned welcome that he entered the current government as a statesman, shifting the power in a completely different direction than anyone had expected, yet doing nothing with it. Kurama had been a part of the workings of that government, and with the blind king's reemergence, he'd certainly had more with which to keep his mind busy.

Or enraged, as it was.

"He...he!" Kurama stuttered, causing Hiei to tense. Nothing would have prepared him for what was to come, especially not the light bulb above their head shattering with the force of the other's aura. "He made me serve _tea_."

Hiei's grip on the window frame slackened, nearly causing him to fall out of it.

"In the middle of the senator's meeting," Kurama continued, either not noticing or caring about the fire demon's slip up. "He ignored rank and commanded that I serve tea."

The next few hours were spent with Hiei putting out fires, for once; yesses and hushing followed near hysterical rantings of a man driven mad by position. Kurama screamed and destroyed all in sight, before finally calming enough to be goaded into the bath, where he then fell asleep. Hiei, as he always did when Kurama was out of commission, silently picked up the pieces.

* * *

Bad day at work, can you tell?

Looks like I'll be starting up _another_ story: this time featuring the other OT3 (KKH). Looks like there's a lot more thirst for them than I'd ever imagined, so keep an eye out!


	45. Chapter 45

Tumblr Prompt: Kurama and Hiei doing the dirty but Shiori comes home

So, if you were expecting smut here, let me just clarity something: I have never written smut for the sake of smut - there's always a purpose to it. And likely, I'm not going to: unless you commission me! Instead, here's what came to mind.

* * *

They were in the heat of it, hands on slick flesh and faces pressed against each other, when it hit: a spark, no more than a second, flashing in green. In the same moment Kurama was pulling back, all too far away in all too short a time, in more than a physical sense. Hiei was still caught up, face flush and eyes lidded, before he noticed the difference.

"We must've lost track of time." Kurama already had his shirt back on, working each button into its particular hole. "She's rounding the block."

Hiei didn't move from his reclined position except to tuck himself back into his open pants, intent on watching the other. This was the third time this week that one of the other's alarms had interrupted them, breaking one of their trysts before it had even gotten started. Kurama wasn't looking at him, standing across the room and focused on minimizing the disturbance in his appearance. He moved toward his night table to collect his hairbrush before turning back around. His feet carried him to the window a little too quickly, by Hiei's estimation, and when it opened a flood of cold came with it. It chilled his skin, as did its implication.

"Parents catching their children in compromising situations is something that happens to most humans," Hiei started, eyes trained on the pull that came with every swipe of the brush Kurama dragged through his hair. "…So I've heard."

"Most humans do not bring their demon partner home to be discovered," Kurama muttered, working through a knot with uncharacteristic impatience. Hiei's body groaned as moved to sit up, propping himself up on hands behind his back.

"Is that really it?" Kurama's hand stopped moving. "I don't believe I look particularly inhuman."

"Are you implying that you'd like to be caught?" Kurama turned, his face as disapproving as his tone. Hiei waited a moment, then sighed.

"No. Of course not." There was a space of silence in which the other resumed his primping, and he continued. "I just don't like that we have to hide like this."

Kurama put the brush down, leaning against his desk and pinning Hiei with an irritated look. Hiei knew what that meant: it was his cue to dress. He feigned ignorance, pulling his feet up onto the bedspread and straightening his back. It wasn't the time, or perhaps it was the best time.

"We do what we must, Hiei. My situation is one that must be accommodated."

"Must it?" Hiei's voice wasn't it's usual sharp, but it did have an edge. "You've reached adulthood, Kurama. You have no obligations here." He was about to continue, but Kurama cut him off.

"Ningenkai is my home, and I will not compromise on that." Hiei's eyes grew dark, a sign that Kurama had spoken too soon.

"I don't know why you would think I'd ask you to." Kurama closed his mouth, his eyes flickering to the clock on the wall briefly. He had the art of timing Shiori's route down to a science, one that he was measuring presently. "But perhaps we could pursue a bit of privacy."

Kurama stopped: the heat in his face cooled, the internalized frustration faded, all tension falling away. He let out a breath, rough and ragged with a sort of long kept exhaustion. Hiei stood, closing the distance between them and putting a hand on the other's shoulder. It was a gentle gesture, one that Kurama recognized as knowing. He leaned into it, intent upon closing his arms around the other, when the sound of a door closing downstairs brought him back to the passage of time.

"You have to go."

Instead of pulling him closer, Kurama was pushing, leading Hiei toward the window hurriedly. The fire demon didn't argue, climbing up onto the sill, but hanging back as footsteps hit the bottom of the staircase.

"I love you, Kurama. But if our time is going to be split between us, maybe she should at least know she's sharing it."

And he was gone, all evidence of him having been there carried away on the same wind that drowned out the sound of the redhead's human name from down the hall.


	46. Chapter 46

For the tumblr anon, happy Valentine's day

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"Stop looking at me like that."

Kurama did not stop. In point of fact, his eyes grew larger, the incitement of a challenge pulling all of their brightness to the surface. If not for the reasonably warm feeling hovering in the air around the duo, Hiei would have grimaced knowingly.

"Like what, exactly?"

His smile had gone crooked. Hiei noticed, none too surprised by it. Nothing, despite the possibility for it to, seemed to have changed.

"Like you just ate the canary."

Kurama hummed lowly, as if he'd invited Hiei to speak in the first place: and that in doing sohad accomplished something.

"Is this the part where I point out that I'm a fox, not a cat?"

"It still applies."

The gleam in the redhead's eyes shifted from generally pleased to reflecting an impressedness in himself. That was always dangerous, in Hiei's experience. But then again, the real danger had passed.

"Quite." Kurama paused, but only to run his tongue over his teeth suggestively. "Especially what with good use I put my tongue."

Hiei grimaced, rolling onto his side. A talkative Kurama was not uncommon, but the circumstances surrounding them had been. Hiei hadn't considered the possibility of their coupling when he'd climbed through the window just a few hours earlier. In fact, he'd not anticipated any of the revelations that had transpired between them, let alone ones as warm and wet as the appendage in question.

"If you'd like to keep it, you should quit while you're ahead."

The ring of Kurama's laugh bubbled up from behind him, preceding the arms that wrapped around his middle and pulled him in close. Hiei didn't protest, but he did wiggle a bit to imply discomfort. Kurama ignored him, knowing it to be pretense.

"Now, Hiei, I was sure it was the sound of my voice that lulled you into complacency to begin with."

"I wouldn't define _that _as complacent." Hiei could feel Kurama's chest inflate against his back, signaling his intention to speak. Before he could interrupt, Hiei opened his mouth. "You're prettier when you're quiet."

There was a pause, more out of amusement than anything.

"So you think I'm pretty?" Hiei would've regretted the comment if it hadn't served its purpose: to derail what was surely still to come. Unfortunately - like most of his tactics when it came to the kitsune - it didn't work for as long as he'd hoped.

"No, all of Makai knows I only bed truly hideous creatures." Kurama's arms slipped from his waist, a small thud signaling that he'd rolled onto his back heavily. Hiei turned over, eyebrow raised at Kurama's messy posturing, limbs all strewn about dramatically. An arm was thrown over his face, for added effect. Hiei would have rolled his eyes if he'd thought the other might've seen it.

"Now, of all times, you choose to acquire a sense of humor? What irony."

"I think it's appropriate." Kurama opened an eye at the feeling of fingertips against his chest; Hiei tracing patterns against soft skin as if to ground himself in what had occurred. Kurama held off on his next jibe, intent on soaking in the rare contact, but not getting lost to it. There was only so far he could push his partner in one night; only so much intimacy he could force out of him. In this moment, he was happy. That, surely, was enough.

"So I'm not your first, then?"

Kurama's voice was light and curved, like a smile put on to communicate a joke. But then, Hiei was looking at him strangely, measuring something in his mind, before putting his back to him again. This time, though, he shifted into the warmth behind him until their skin was flush and tingled with the contact.

"You are my one and only, Kurama. Don't push your luck and expect anything more."

There were very few times in Kurama's life when his missteps were losses that he accepted graciously, thankful for the way in which fate chose to drive his miscalculations to realization. This - as he pulled Hiei in closer and pressed his face into the nape of his bare neck, breathing in his essence - was one of them.

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GodIsuckatwritingfluff... Also announcing that commissions are closed!


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